According to one of the definitive works on Islamic conversion in the Balkans, Anton Minkov discusses the way that those within the Balkans identified themselves, stating that the local population’s affiliation to Orthodox faith was linked to the identity . In other words, one of the first problems the Ottomans faced within the region was how to reconcile the connection to identity within the …show more content…
“The Mevlevi Tariqa represented no threat for authorities, [since the Tariqa] did neither interfere with governance, nor showed tendencies to do so, as was the case with some other orders .” Thus, the Mevlevis were able to bolster their position and respect within the society, which allowed them to continue their practices and proselytization without much intervention, due to their position of trust within the society. Thus, the Mevlevi order was able to be very influential since it was one of the most well established religious orders of the